CARB sets stricter reefer trucking standards

Monday, November 05, 2012

Stricter regulations on refrigerated containers hauled by trucks will go into effect on Jan. 1, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the state’s air emission regulatory agency.The regulations will require that any brokers, freight forwarders, shippers, and receivers to hire, or contract with, only carriers compliant with CARB’s regulations on emissions from reefer boxes. The regulation requires carriers to use a transport refrigeration units (TRU) that give in-use airborne toxic control measure (ATCM) readings.
The responsible parties are also required to provide contact information to the carrier so that dispatched drivers can present it to authorized enforcement personnel upon request.
Contact information must include the broker’s company name, street address, state, and ZIP code and a contact person’s name and business phone number. If a broker or forwarder is not involved in arranging the transport of the load, the broker contact information is not required on bills of lading or related documents.
CARB amended its ATCM regulations in 2011, after determining the use of non-compliant carriers provided them an economic advantage and greater health risk to the state.
“Staff investigations have found a greater frequency of non-compliance among carriers hired by brokers, freight forwarders, shippers, and receivers compared to private fleets,” CARB said. “Operating TRUs that do not comply with ARB’s TRU ATCM in-use engine emissions standards exposes the public to greater potential cancer risk, violates the TRU ATCM, and can result in an unfair economic advantage for non-complying carriers.”
Shippers and receivers must stipulate to their carriers, if they have arranged for road transportation, that the carriers are required to use TRU that provide in-use ATCM data.
“The requirements apply to any broker or freight forwarder that hires a carrier that will travel on a California highway or railway, regardless of where the broker or freight forwarder is based or conducting business,” CARB said. “When non-compliant equipment is discovered, ARB may cite the carrier, broker, freight forwarder, shipper, receiver, and/or driver. In resolving violations, ARB will consider the relevant circumstances, including how carefully the hiring party chose its carrier.”More information is available at CARB’s TRU Website. - Eric Johnson